Health and care voluntary sector strategic partner programme: working together for better health and care

We are working with this strategic partner programme in our capacity as part of the National LGBT Partnership. The aim of this programme is to bring together the power of the voluntary sector with the health and care system, in order to improve services and promote well-being for all. We want to use our expertise to work out how to best reach vulnerable and excluded individuals and communities, and support people to make their diverse needs and voices heard. By working in partnership, we hope to inform national policy development, driving awareness of the role and potential of the sector.

Building safe choices: older LGBT housing futures

As Bob Green, CEO of Stonewall Housing says "Our ambition is that older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people, whatever their history and background, can make informed choices about their housing, care and support from a range of safe and appropriate options."

"Home is a particularly important space for older LGBT people: it is where they feel safe," said Julia Shelley, the report's author. "Despite some providers setting out good intentions and improving their practice, older LGBT people are still uncertain about what they can expect in the future. Many fear the worst."One of the key findings of the report is the importance of choice for older LGBT people: there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It sets out four future housing options, along with a number of recommendations:

New housing schemes: to support and encourage the development of specialist older LGBT housing schemes, as well as LGBT affirmative housing schemes across all tenures

People living together: to provide advice and support to individuals who want to work together to create their own housing solutions, like co-housing;

Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs): for housing providers to identify and support the growth of NORCs, which have the potential for building older LGBT communities without the need for additional new investment;

People staying in their homes: to encourage housing and care providers to develop good practice and greater understanding of the needs of older LGBT people.

Visitors can add their thoughts about the four housing options, share experiences and ideas, and continue the debate about the future of older LGBT housing.

The feasibility study was funded by The Big Lottery and Commonweal Housing. The report was written by Julia Shelley, who has over 25 years experience in Third Sector organisations working with older people, carers and the LGBT community in the areas of community, social care and housing.

Older LGBT housing

We believe the needs of older LGBT people and communities are often overlooked in housing and care planning. Many older LGBT people feel they have limited housing and care options.

Our older LGBT housing group provides a national platform for shared dialogue about housing issues faced by older LGBT people. It comprises regional groups in London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Our aims include:• enabling older LGBT people, and housing, care and support providers to share their positive and negative experiences of current housing, care and support services;• creating a space to shape policy and practice at a local, regional and national level

Manchester older LGBT housing guidedownload PDFPublished in 2013, this guide provides advice to older LGBT people about their housing options in Manchester.

We’re also in the process of developing other best practice guides and national standards of providers of services to improve the housing, care and support services offered to older LGBT people.